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Earlier this year, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin shocked NFL fans when he collapsed on the field during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a horrifying ordeal for all involved, and the game was the first in NFL history to be canceled outright with no do-over.
Nine and a half months later, he has borne witness to another similarly harrowing scene involving a teammate, and it is evidently too much for the 25-year-old.
During the Bills' Sunday Night Football game against the New York Giants, running back Damien Harris received a brutal hit from linebacker Bobby Okereke during a rushing attempt.
As he lay unconscious, cameras caught Hamlin, who has not played for all but one game, breaking down in tears.
Eventually, an ambulance notably bearing Harris's jersey number came in with a stretcher. Shortly before he was taken away, Harris gave a thumbs up to indicate that he would be okay:
Why has Damar Hamlin not played much in 2023?
In April, around three and a half months after his on-field collapse, Damar Hamlin was finally cleared to resume play, and he duly announced his intent to do so in a press conference.
“My heart is still in it. My heart is still in the game. I love the game. This event was life changing. but it’s not the end of my story. So I’m here to announce that I’m planning on making a comeback to the NFL," Hamlin said (via Deadline).
He played in all three preseason games but has not been used much since. Even though his cardiac episode was well behind him by that point, Hamlin was a healthy scratch for the Buffalo Bills' first three games, not even doing special teams as the team sought to extend his recovery.
The Bills finally activated him ahead of the crucial Week 4 matchup against the Miami Dolphins in place of an injured Jordan Poyer. He played 18 snaps in the ensuing 48-20 win but was once again demoted for the next two games after Poyer's return.
As of this writing, Damar Hamlin has 93 tackles (65 solo), one and a half sacks, four pass deflections, and a forced fumble in his career.
